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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To consider a £9.50 Sun holiday?

151 replies

Passthepigs · 04/01/2019 18:31

On maternity leave from March so on a tight budget and will have new baby plus a 2.5 year old.

I’ve never read The Sun and don’t like large caravan parks with lots of other other families. Am I crazy to consider it as a cheap something to do for a few days next year or will I hate it?

OP posts:
Tw1nsetAndPearls · 04/01/2019 22:35

80% of the people who go on sun holiday are theJK show types. The other 20% normal people

You sound lovely.

werideatdawn · 04/01/2019 22:51

I would rather stay at home.

Wimbledonwomble · 04/01/2019 23:22

If you've booked before, you usually get sent a Sun Savers Priority Code which means you can book using the Sun Savers App a day before everyone else (you need to buy the paper each day to get the unique Savers Code). If you don't want to buy the Sun or don't have a savers bonus code you can book online using the codes published on the fb page (and other sites like Money Saving Expert), although a day later than the Savers bookers.

A correction to my post above, having read some comments on the fb page. You actually don't have to buy the paper as booking date for code words is same as date last saver code is published. The admin usually get the code word before the paper goes on sale, so no need to buy!

LagunaBubbles · 05/01/2019 00:38

80% of the people who go on sun holiday are theJK show types. The other 20% normal people

Lovely.

LagunaBubbles · 05/01/2019 00:42

Do you have to pay more than 9.50 per person for the ones in Europe?! Or do you have to get your own flights that would bump up the cost?

You have to pay for your own transport for the campsites in the UK so of course you have to pay to get to Europe! We always drive. Its £9.50 per night, and our week in France worked out at £137 plus £50 campsite fee, £187 for a week for 4 of us and the caravan was lovely.

Otterseatpuffinsdontthey · 05/01/2019 00:51

Q

Chickenwings85 · 05/01/2019 01:04

Yes do it! Make sure you research your parks because some are bloody awful!!

LEMtheoriginal · 05/01/2019 07:13

rockchickchickyrock i might be making this up but i think you can buy entertainment passes at some places.

Lost5stone · 05/01/2019 07:16

We did one last year. It was great but did cost about £150 because we upgraded to a good caravan. Like a PP said not a holiday I would bother with without kids but it was so great for DD

rockchickchickyrock · 05/01/2019 07:26

Thanks LEM. The one I was thinking of doesn’t allow you to buy passes (we tried last year) but having looked at the website and read the info it’s going to cost more than just £9.50 each when we go and possibly not worth it. Might do it for a long weekend for another place we have stayed at however, such a good deal!

Groovee · 05/01/2019 07:28

I've done a few. Facebook have a group where you can get the codes and book online.

I often pay a higher than £9.50 to get a bigger caravan but if you can go in term time, you can often find pay only dates where you don't pay service charges (which are per night) or for entertainment passes (usually need to go swimming etc.)

But if you don't get that it can often be an extra £80 on top of the £9.50 per person.

Highfever · 05/01/2019 07:46

We've done loads both as a single mum to one and as family with or without friends and took a break recently from doing them. However we need a holiday and I have little money so I'll book one. If daddy doesn't want to come so be it. Realised he moans every holiday regardless of type.

Avoid pontins. Seriously grim!!!

Take a bottle of Dettol and some cleaning stuff

Slamadramafamalam · 05/01/2019 08:05

They are a cheap holiday, nothing wrong with them at all. These are the only holidays we went on when my kids were little and we always had a fun time, it's cheap and basic but it's a base from which to have a cheap fun holiday.

Dontaskmeihaventaclue · 05/01/2019 08:09

I did one in Cornwall a few years ago. Had a lovely time. Used the park as a base but went out during the day, seaside, sightseeing etc. Very fond memories

Wimbledonwomble · 05/01/2019 08:28

The £9.50 bit is a tad misleading as it adds up to more once you add entertainment passes, service charge, upgrades, linen etc. Plus you must pay for 4 even if less of you. Costs of extras vary from park to park. The school holiday dates are actually £15 per person. We usually don't pay for linen and take our own (which I prefer). The last one we did cost nearly £200 but I still think that's a good price for 4 nights away for 4 people in the Easter hols in a lovely part of the country. If you have NT membership or use Tesco vouchers you can save on days out too. We generally take packed lunch when we go for days out and eat out in the evening. The pub/restaurants at the parks we've been to have usually been good. Now my kids are older, the only meal we tend to have in the caravan is breakfast but used to cook simple meals with no problem when younger.

If you're not going in school holidays, the savings are much less so worth checking to see how much to book direct. You may also be able to get a good deal on a cottage or lodge so worth shopping around. I feel our next Sun holiday may be our last as my kids are teens and not many school hols left to go. However, they served us well for many years.

Lastly, I too think the JK comment is extremely rude and unjustified. In all my years of Sun holidays I've come across only a tiny minority of people who would fit that description. Has the person who posted that actually been on a Sun holiday??

donajimena · 05/01/2019 08:36

We went to Pendine. The caravan wasn't the best but it was lovely exploring Pembrokeshire (Carmarthenshire/Pembs border) and the pool was like a hot tub. It was very good value for money. I am vair posh and did not feel like the company was beneath me on the site Wink

chillpizza · 05/01/2019 08:53

There’s a reason the sites place them together even if you don’t like how I described it. They expect noise, trouble and the accommodation to be left a mess, they expect to have to evict a few from site. However those types also blow a fortune in the clubhouse/onsite off-licence/arcade to make it worthwhile.

Stay away from the cheaper at normal price types and easier to get to sites and it will be fine.

If you holiday in the middle of Wales/Scotland/Cornwall etc where you need a car it’s going to be much better than old Skeggy, blackpool, Yarmouth etc by train and bus.

Wimbledonwomble · 05/01/2019 08:55

I've been to Pendine too. Awesome long beach just across the road. Weather was pants but we still had a good time. I also remember the pool being nice there. I'm fairly posh too Grin

Charlottejade89 · 05/01/2019 08:58

We used to do them every year as kids and we loved it. We always used to go to the same place - Hollywell bay in Cornwall. We went to Woolacombe once as well as adults and that place was lovely too. Now I've got my own dc I would definatly consider going on them again

Wimbledonwomble · 05/01/2019 09:01

*Stay away from the cheaper at normal price types and easier to get to sites and it will be fine.

If you holiday in the middle of Wales/Scotland/Cornwall etc where you need a car it’s going to be much better than old Skeggy, blackpool, Yarmouth etc by train and bus.*

That's a fair point actually. That's what we do and perhaps why we've encountered very few "JK types"

ZanyMobster · 05/01/2019 09:07

We've only ever had good experiences with them. The kids were younger so wasn't in school holidays and parks were quiet though.

Mouikey · 05/01/2019 09:20

We’ve done many, especially when funds have been tight. Isle of Wight, Cornwall, and Dorset mainly. The worst was in a February when the only heating was in the ceiling and it was freezing! We always too our own bedding.

We looked to go. Last year, but with the upgrades we wanted (double glazing and central heating) it actually worked out better value to book direct!

We use the pools and playgrounds and clubhouse for toddler entertainment.

If you use it as a base for exploring you generally can’t go wrong.

myhamsteratefreddiestarr · 05/01/2019 18:51

I only booked one trip last year as The Sun changed the way that it was done, meaning that you had to buy the newspaper every day. Previously to that the codes were entered by people onto FB and other places but they can't do that any more as each code is supposed to be individual and one use only.

It is a shame as I used to book 2-3 breaks a year some years. Last year I got one, but the booking was opened later for previous customers with no codes.

Pontins Brean Sands was a hellhole. Park Resorts Carmarthen Bay was also a hellhole. We have been lucky with all of the other sites though.

It is also worth looking at the direct booking price too, as sometimes it comes out very similar and you get beds made up etc.

Including extras of passes, utilities and bedding, I have had breaks for £100, often saving £150 on booking direct.

Groovee · 05/01/2019 19:44

@myhamsteratefreddiestarr you can still book online with the codes. I did it last year. It's changed if you are a sunsavers subscriber. I got it all from Facebook.

myhamsteratefreddiestarr · 05/01/2019 22:14

The others all get priority though so by the time you get on , all the best holidays are gone.